Floor mat



Aug. 7, 119235. 11,4i64fi26 M J. BRUNINGA FLOOR MAT Filed NOV. 1'7. 1921 Patented Aug. 7, i923.

onrrsn stares intent rarest oreiee.

some H. BRUNINGA, OF ST. EOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD HEEL & @QUMER C0 0]? ST. LOUIS, 'MISSUURI, A' CGRIPQRATIQN 0F MISSDURI.

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Application exec November it, 1921. Serial Elie. erases.

To'all whom z'fmoy concern: U I

Bait known that 1, JOHN H. BRUNINGA,

a citizen of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented the new and useful Improvement in Floor Mats, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to floor mats, and

I more particularly tosuch mats as are con-- structed of a series of. links of leather or the 19 like connected together in hinged joints to facilitate the rolling up 0 the mat when not in use.

One of the great diiliculties encountered in the use of mats of thiskind is their tendency, after having been in use for a short time, to curl'u at the edges, as the leather is soft and plia lo and is, therefore, subject to twisting and curling. This makes the edge stand up away from the floor in a position where it may easily be struck by the foot in passing, with danger of tripping and gonsequent personal in ury.

. One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a mat ofthe character referred to, whose edge will be constructed and arranged to lie flat on the door and to prevent curlinlg.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is. a plan view showing a mat ernhodyin'g this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail of a short link; m Figuret is a similar detail of a longlink; and

Figure {l is a view showing the relative positions olljthe long and short links at the ed e or the mat. w

eterrin to the accompanying drawing, the mat is uilt up of a series of short links 5 or normal length which, in this description, will he called a short link. These links comprise each a series of laminae l of leather or the like, which are punched out of leather to the form shown in Figure 2, scraps of leather resulting from the manufacture of other leather articles often being used for this purpose. Each lamina is provided with holes it near the ends thereof, and the laminae are assembled together to form a series or. links arranged in rows, with the links of adjoining rows alternating, by passing pintle rods through the holes 2 to con meet the various links together. The links may be arranged in a chain pattern as illustrated in Figure 1, so as to form a flexible chain like structure. The pintle rods may be constructed of stout wires 3 bent into substantially a U form, each wire U being passed through two holes in the adjacent sections of links and the ends of the wires they be turned over-as shown at d and soldered, or otherwise fastened together. i

As will be seen from Figure 1 the mat is made up of successive rows ofv groups of lamina, eachgroup 5 being composed of a till plurality of individual lamina 1 placed side by side. With such an arrangement thin lamina can he used, but a substantialbearing surface is provided which will not break down, especially since the pintle rods, which are clenched over at their ends, hold all the links and the laminae thereof together to form a compact but flexible chain-like structure. Each of these rows of links forms a mat section extending across the mat and having a hinge at each edge thereof 'at the pintle rods 3. Bythis arrangement thereto in the manner just described. The

groups 7 are interposed between the ends of the groups 6 and one of the ll-wires 9 is passed through the entire assemblage. There is thus "formed a solid end section for the mat made up. as described of alternate groups 6 and 7 of long and short laminae respectively, which presents a continuous edge along the end of the mat. This end section is stiii" having no hinge except where the long links join the succeeding row of short links. in other words, the wires 9 are not pintle rods but simply hold the links ofthe end section together. tion will lie dot on the liner when the mat is extended and there will he no tendency for it to curl up as is the case when the end section of a seat has a hinge close to the end of the that.

When it is desired to This end sec.-

stiffen the met at an intermediate section, thismay he donev i by the use of the long links or laminae 8 links 6 adapted to sti en the edge of a mat so as to prevent its turning up. These links together with the series '7 of short links provide a stiff unhinged end section which will lie flat by its own Wei ht. The provision of such a stiff end section at the same time would not interfere in any way with the rolling up of the mat when desired.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in details of construction without departin from the spirit'of this invention; it is, t erefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime is:

r 1. A flexible floormat comprising, a series of short leather links, arranged in rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating, a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, the links of an inside-row being extended so as toreceive the pintle rods of the end row, adapted and in order to stiffen and retain the edge of the mat flat when extended.

2. A flexible floor mat comprising, a series of short leather links of normal length, arranged in rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating, a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, and links of double length embracing the end row and the adjoining inside rowyadapted and in order to stiflen and retain the edge of the mat flat when extended.

3. A flexible floor mat comprising, a series of short leather links arranged in rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating, a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, the links of an inside row being extended so as to embrace rows on opposite sides thereof, sub stantially as and'for the purpose set forth.

4. A flexible floor mat comprising, a series of short leather links of normal length, arranged in rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating, a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, and links of double length in an inside row and extending on opposite sides thereof, substantially as and for the pun pose set forth.

5. A flexible floor mat comprising, a series of short links, each embodying a series of leather laminas arranged in rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating, a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, the links of a certain row being extended so as to receive the pintle rods of the joining row, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A flexible floor mat comprising, a series of short links of normal length and a series of links of double length, each link embodying a series of leather laminas the links of normal length being arranged in rows with the links of adjoinin rows alternating, the links of double lengt being arranged in a row and embracing an adjoining row, and a series of pintle rods joining said links to form a flexible chain-like structure, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 30th day of September, 1921.

JOHN H. BRUNINGA. 

